1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a print media processing apparatus having an image scanner for scanning a check or other print medium, and further relates to a control method for such a print media processing apparatus and a program of instructions for implementing the control method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Print media processing devices capable of performing multiple functions by combining an image scanner or other type of processing device with a printer have been proposed. One such device is a check processing apparatus having a print head, image scanner, and magnetic head. This check processing apparatus runs a printing process for printing essential information on a check, a scanning process to then capture an image of the printed check, and a data transmission process for sending the scanned image to a bank or other financial institution for payment as necessary, and is convenient because it enables on-line clearance of checks.
In order to assure sufficient quality in the scanned image with this type of check processing apparatus the check must be held against the scanning surface of the scanner to prevent the printed surface of the check from moving away from the scanning surface of the image scanner during the scanning operation. It is therefore preferable to transport the check while pressing it with a roller against the scanning surface. However, if the roller continues to press the check against the scanning surface when scanning is not in progress, the roller interferes with smooth check transportation.
To resolve this problem it is preferable to dispose a scanner feed roller opposite the scanning surface for transporting the check while pressing it against the scanning surface, and to use a mechanism for moving the scanner feed roller between a closed position in which the scanner feed roller is pressed to the scanning surface and an open position in which the scanner feed roller is retracted from the closed position.
In this case the scanner feed roller must be appropriately positioned at either the closed position or the open position. After a check is scanned, for example, it is transported by the scanner feed roller to the paper exit side. After the check is ejected from between the scanning surface and scanner feed roller, the check is held with the leading edge part of the check protruding from the exit opening so that the check can be pulled out by the user. However, if the scanner feed roller is retracted to the open position as soon as scanning is completed, the check that is waiting to be pulled out could fall back into the transportation path from between the scanning surface and the open scanner feed roller.
One way to avoid this problem is to hold the scanner feed roller in the closed position while waiting for the check to be removed. If this is done, however, the closed scanner feed roller will interfere with operations when a releasable cover, provided in the printer case for printer maintenance, is opened to, for example, remove a paper jam or replace the ink ribbon.
It is, of course, also possible to install a detector near the paper exit to detect when the check is removed from the paper exit and then move the scanner feed roller to the open position after the detector indicates that the check has been removed. This method is undesirable, however, because it requires a separate dedicated sensor which increases the number of parts in the apparatus and also its cost.
A further problem with this type of multiple function check processing apparatus is that, if the image scanner is located near the check exit opening, external light such as sunlight or internal light can impinge on the scanning surface through the exit opening. The problem here is that external light incident to the scanning surface causes a drop in the scanning quality of the image scanner.
For convenience in inserting and removing checks, some multiple function check processing apparatuses of this type have the insertion opening for inserting checks formed horizontally at the front part of the apparatus and the exit opening for removing the processed check formed in the top surface part of the apparatus housing. While this arrangement is convenient for inserting and removing checks, it also makes it easy for sunlight and light from other external sources to enter the inside of the apparatus through the exit opening, contact the scanning surface and thereby degrade the scanning quality.
These problems are not limited to such check processing apparatuses but can also occur in print media processing apparatuses having an image scanner for handling print media other than checks and in more general multifunction printers equipped with a scanner.